Also called: Atmospheric Electricity Researcher
Studies lightning, including how it starts, how to predict it, and strange cousins like sprites and jets high above storms.
A lightning researcher might launch rockets trailing copper wire into thunderstorms to trigger lightning on purpose (a real experiment in Florida), analyze high-speed video, or study lightning mapping data from satellites.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Doctorate (PhD), about 9 years after high school. Bachelor's in physics or atmospheric science, then a PhD.
Ways in: 4-year college, Graduate school. Training cost: $15k – $60k.
Majors to look at: Atmospheric Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering.
Growing about average (about 3% over 10 years). BLS 2025-35 projection band for SOC 19-2021: Average (3% to 4%).
Low risk for 10 years. AI helps sort satellite and high-speed video data; triggering lightning in field experiments and building theories stays human research.
Classes: AP Physics, AP Calculus, Electronics, Computer Science.
Official data: O*NET occupation 19-2021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.